Strategic leadership for reputation, influence, and growth.
I am an award-winning professional with more than 20 years of experience shaping communications strategies for public and private organizations across healthcare, corporate affairs, public policy, and reputation management.
A committed, results-oriented professional with profound expertise in public relations, strategic communication, government and public affairs, issues and crisis management, marketing, and stakeholder engagement.
Throughout her career, Maria has led major projects involving mergers and acquisitions, company and team setup, hiring and training, rebranding, policy and crisis cases, and high-impact 360° campaigns. She has also built strong experience in state campaigns, public tenders, and new business pitches.
Core strengths
Communications Director | Hellenic Association of Pharmaceutical Companies (SFEE)
Leading public relations and communications strategy, overseeing CSR initiatives, media engagement, stakeholder relations, and spokesperson activity for one of the most influential industry associations in Greece.
Group Account Director | Weber Shandwick
Led communication and marketing services for the launch of Forever 21 across nine European markets, coordinating strategy, execution, and cross-country team alignment.
Senior Communications Director | Publicom / Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Managed teams and strategic communications programs for key accounts including Bayer, GSK Pharma, Novartis, Sanofi, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, Etihad, Beiersdorf, and Citibank.
- Led 360° campaigns, corporate and brand PR, CSR programs, digital strategy, and crisis communications.
- Delivered mentoring, capability building, and knowledge transfer across multidisciplinary teams.
Account Manager Healthcare | V+O Communication
Delivered challenging PR campaigns and healthcare communications for pharmaceutical companies, working across client service, strategy, and cross-project coordination.
Project Manager | C&C International
Managed public relations, project delivery, media planning, press office services, crisis communications, state campaigns, public tenders, and sponsorship initiatives.
Professor | IEK DELTA
Teaching: Public Relations, Communications, Marketing, Management, Human Resources Management; wrote notes and gathered teaching material according to syllabus provided by the Ministry of Education. IEK Delta published the respective books.
Marketing & Communications Manager | Totsis Group of Companies S.A.
Advertising & marketing; editing in LOGISTIS magazine; organizing seminars; attending seminars as keynote speaker; employee relations and compensation issues; recruiting; selecting and hiring issues.
Management Consultant | Totsis–Markou Law Office
Setting up companies; mergers & acquisitions; assured compliance processes and procedures within the practice; handled all Societe’ Anonyms’ cases; consulted on complex projects, e.g. tax issues; liaised with the Court of Justice (Evelpidwn & Riankour) and the Court of Auditors; acted as Ombudsman for several cases in Multi Member First Instance Court of Athens (Protodikeio Evelpidwn).
Education
Diploma in Professional Public Relations
Deree U.L.E-The American University of Greece — 2006
MA in International Business Management
University of Newcastle upon Tyne — 2000–2001
B.Sc. in Business Administration
Deree U.L.E-The American University of Greece — 1996–2000
Languages
Capabilities
Hellenic Pulmonary Hypertension
PR and communications consulting, media events organization.
Hellenic Society of Cardiology
PR consulting, media relations, and presenter at major congress events.
Floga – Parents with Children with Cancer
PR and communication consulting, press conference organization.
Ygeia Gia Olous
Member of the organizational committee and communications consultant for a social health initiative.